Tag Archives: crutchlow

Lorenzo beats Pedrosa to MotoGP title after finishing in second in Australia

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UPDATED:

13:05 GMT, 28 October 2012

Jorge Lorenzo was crowned MotoGP world champion for the second time after finishing second at the Australian Prix Grand at Phillip Island.

The Yahama rider was beaten by home favourite Casey Stoner, who won on home soil for the sixth time in succession, but the Australian's Repsol Honda team-mate Dani Pedrosa, the only man who could deny Lorenzo the title, crashed out.

Britain's Cal Crutchlow finished third.

Just champion: Jorge Lorenzo celebrates winning the MotoGP title

Lorenzo's second place helped him win back the title he first claimed in 2010 with one race of he season remaining.

The Spaniard, who went into the race with a 23-point advantage over compatriot Pedrosa at the head of the standings, started from second on the grid, but got the jump on pole-sitter Stoner into turn one.

Pedrosa, starting third, was hot in his rival's tail after also passing the Australian, who will retire at the end of the season.

Pedrosa soon passed Lorenzo and Stoner moved up to second on the home straight heading into lap two, but Pedrosa then paid the price for pushing too hard as he lost control of the back of his bike.

He was able to get back on, but the bike was too badly damaged and he was forced into the pits.

That left Lorenzo just needing to avoid any mistakes to take the title.

Battle: Casey Stoner won the race from Lorenzo in Australia

Stoner, looking to sign off in front of his home fans in style, pulled away to win by more than nine seconds ahead of Lorenzo.

Crutchlow won an entertaining battle for third place to take his second podium-finish of the season, with Italy's Andrea Dovizioso and Spain's Alvaro Bautista fourth and fifth respectively.

Lorenzo described the title win as 'so sweet'.

He told BBC Sport. 'I've been very patient and concentrating hard for so long and now the title has come.

'I was nervous in the last few laps. I almost crashed in turn two, but I brought it home.'

Lorenzo completes Italian job as Yamaha rider stretches lead at top after Mugello win

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UPDATED:

15:13 GMT, 15 July 2012

Jorge Lorenzo further increased his advantage at the top of the MotoGP standings with a convincing victory in the Italian Grand Prix at Mugello.

The Spaniard (Yamaha) claimed his fifth victory in nine rounds this season after finishing over five seconds clear of countryman Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda), with Italian Andrea Dovizioso third on his Monster Yamaha.

Slack Stoner hands title advantage to Lorenzo after last lap sip in Germany

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UPDATED:

14:47 GMT, 8 July 2012

Casey Stoner handed the initiative in the MotoGP championship to Jorge Lorenzo, crashing on the last lap of the German Grand Prix at Sachsenring as his Repsol Honda team-mate Dani Pedrosa claimed his first win of the season.

The defending champion looked to have second place wrapped up and was pushing for the lead when he slid off the track with only a handful of corners to go.

Lorenzo (Yamaha Factory) came through to take second instead and establish a 14-point lead at the top of the standings, with Andrea Dovizioso (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) completing the podium.

Wheely good: Dani Pedrosa nicked in to claim victory in the German MotoGP

Stoner dropped 20 points off the pace in the championship, with Pedrosa moving ahead of him into second spot.

Australian Stoner started the race on pole, but Pedrosa, starting from third, passed his team-mate to lead going into turn one.

Stoner soon hit the front again, though, and the pair continued to battle for the lead, while Ben Spies, who started from second on the grid, ran wide to let his team-mate Lorenzo into third place.

Spain's reign: Pedrosa capitalised on Casey Stoner's slip on the last lap

The Repsol Honda pair pulled further clear from the Spaniard as he tried to chase them down, but their thrilling neck-and-neck battle for the lead proved costly for Stoner as he crashed out.

Lorenzo, who had been well clear in third, followed Pedrosa home, while Dovizioso, who had made it past Spies, was next across the line.

Cal Crutchlow will have further medical checks on an ankle injury on Sunday morning to decide if he can ride through the pain in the British MotoGP.

The 26-year-old from Coventry missed last year's race after breaking his left collarbone and the curse struck again on Saturday when he suffered a sprained left ankle following a high-speed crash in practice.

Ankle injury: Cal Crutchlow facing fitness battle

Britain's leading MotoGP rider was
unable to take part in qualifying, which means he would start the 20-lap
race from the back of the grid if he competes.

Crutchlow, fifth in the standings with four top-five places, had hoped to claim a maiden podium.

Team manager Herve Poncharal said:
'I'm really sorry for Cal, but even more sorry for the crowd. There is a
spell on British riders.'

Alvaro Bautista took a surprise first MotoGP pole position in the rain-affected qualifying session.

Despite the blow Crutchlow and his team are confident he will be cleared to race by medics at the circuit.

Scans revealed there was no break and he is already able to put weight on his left foot after doctors reduced the swelling around his heel and ankle.

Yamaha Tech 3 manager Herve Poncharal said: ‘We are very optimistic that Cal will be able to participate. We obviously hope he will be able to ride after the disappointment of last year when he was unable to start the race because he was injured. I know what it means for him to race in front of his home crowd.’

Stoner came in second and Andrea Dovizioso third, his best grid position this season for Monster Yamaha Tech 3.

The Italian led the timesheets with five minutes remaining but Stoner ducked narrowly under his time, only for Pedrosa to power to pole in the closing stages.

The second row sees Yamaha Factory pair Jorge Lorenzo and Ben Spies sandwiching Dovizioso's fifth-placed team-mate Cal Crutchlow, who set the early pace in the wet but was unable to step up later in the session.

Focused: Pedrosa will have to concentrate if he is to win Sunday's race in Le Mans

Valentino Rossi is seventh for Ducati ahead of Alvaro Bautista, who crashed out of a late flying lap on his San Carlo Honda Gresini. Karel Abraham completes row three.

Home favourite Randy de Puniet was 12th but his Power Electronics Aspar colleague Aleix Espargero was forced back to the pits by a mechanical problem.

The changing conditions accounted for LCR Honda's Stefan Bradl as he switched too early to slick tyres and crashed out.